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If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?
Season 2 Episode 12 Software designer Edward Nygma returns to his office and finds it locked. His boss, Daniel Mockridge, smugly informs him that he has been fired. Nygma protests, saying that the company, Competitron, is now making millions from the computer game he designed, "Riddle of the Minotaur." Mockridge dismisses this, and reveals that quite a while ago, he tricked Nygma into signing a contract that did not give him any royalties or copyrights to the game, in order to secure the vast fortune for himself. Nygma challenges that Mockridge's greed is no match for his genius, to which Mockridge responds: "If you're so smart, why aren't you rich?" Two years later, Mockridge, free and clear of any obligations to Nygma, is negotiating to sell Competitron to Wayne Enterprises for a lucrative buyout. The negotiations are interrupted when Mockridge catches sight out the window of a stock update screen, which someone has tampered with to send him a riddle, inviting him to "The Wasteland." Mockridge leaves the meeting in a hurry, and Bruce Wayne turns to see the message. he considers the message later in the Batcave, where Dick Grayson is enjoying "Riddle of the Minotaur" on the computer. Batman realizes the Wastland is the name of both a location within the game, and a nightclub in Gotham that Mockridge owns. Mockridge enters the closed club, and finds Nygma waiting in the manager's office. Nygma tricks him into cuffing himself with a ring puzzle. Angry, Mockridge asks if Nygma is running some kind of extortion scheme, but Nygma returns that he no longer wants money, but instead Mockridge himself, as his thugs grab Mockridge from behind. Batman and Robin arrive, and Nygma makes his first appearance as "The Riddler." In the fight with Riddler's thugs, Riddler sets the club on fire, and traps Robin in an oversized Chinese finger puzzle. Batman is forced to let Riddler escape with Mockridge to save his partner. As they drive in pursuit, Batman explains that he knows the Riddler's true identity, having investigated Mockridge's background. They notice the city lights blinking, and realize that Riddler is now tampering with the electrical grid to send a message via Morse Cade. Batman decrypts the message and finds another riddle, which he realizes is an invitation to the "Riddle of the Minotaur" amusement park outside the city, the centerpiece of which is a maze like the one found in the game. At the entrance to the maze, Riddler appears on a screen and shows them Mockridge, tied up at the center of the maze with the Minotaur robot, programed to kill him in less than ten minutes. Before he lets Batman and Robin enter, he tells them to leave their utility belts behind. Entering the maze, they find that Riddler has "updated" its features to deathtraps. After solving several riddles, they are still only halfway through. With only one minute remaining, Batman captures and reprograms the robotic "Hand of Fate" to carry them to the center of the maze, which Riddler describes as cheating. Once in the center, they still need to solve the minotaur's riddle to keep it from killing Mockridge. To Riddlers chagrin, Batman does so. Incapable of losing gracefully and frustrated at his attempt for revenge foiled, Riddler orders the robot to destroy them anyway. Narrowly, they manage to save Mockridge and destroy the robot. But Riddler informs them that he's actually been talking to them from a private plane, and has already made good his escape. Wayne Enterprises acquires Competitron, bringing a surge of much-needed jobs to the city. Dick is bitter that Mockridge, whose greed and dishonesty started the whole battle with the Riddler in the first place, made millions out of the buyout and got away scot-free. Bruce, however, is strangely satisfied, noting that the Riddler is still at large and that neither they nor the authorities have had any success tracking him down. mockridge is shown in his house, shivering in terror. He locks five separate deadbolts on his door, then tiptoes to his bedroom, carrying a shotgun. He checks under the bed, then climbs in and turns out the light, staring fearfully at the ceiling. A voiceover from Bruce poses one final question, "How much is a good night's sleep worth? Now theres a riddle for you..." 'Quotes ' '''Riddler: '''Do you know that happens to gate crashers? They have to match wits with the Riddler. Category:DC Animated Universe Category:Batman : The Animated Series